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Topic: Fish

Expert: Chris Robbins
Date: 4/5/2008
Subject: Help...tank wiped out

Question
We have a five gallon tank and we just killed all our fish :-(. I say we killed them, but it was inadvertent. I just did some research and it seems we way overcrowded them. They came down with a bacterial infection (I think maybe columnaris) and all died within two days. I have two questions:

The lone albino dwarf frog survived. Should I treat him with something or is he not susceptible (sp?) to this?

Second question, we have a 12x12.20 tank in the shed. We read that a larger tank is better for beginners so we want to move to the larger tank. Besides, that way we can have more fish without killing them. How do we disinfect the existing rocks and plants so that we don't pass on whatever infection killed our fish?

Also, other than the filter and bubbler (don't know the official name)what else should we get? I don't want to kill anymore fish.

Is there a good article that we could read about educating us on how to care for a 20 gallon freshwater tank? I also want to select the right combination of fish this time. We ended up with a semi-aggressive one that took a chunk or two out of one of our fish (or two) and I think that also started the infection. Any help would be appreciated. Our four toddlers are devastated at the loss of their fish.

Last one, can you mix goldfish and freshwater tropicals?

Answer
Hi Alicia;

I'm so sorry this has happened to you and your fish. At least you have been able to learn from it and are still willing to forge on with new fish. Most of us have been there and that's where we get started sometimes too. Bigger is better when it comes to aquariums. Smaller ones are much more difficult to keep clean and healthy.

If the deaths occurred during the first 6 to 8 weeks after you added the first fish, the initial problem may have been "New Tank Syndrome" also called the "Break-in Period" or "Cycling". The effects of the break-in period can cause the fish to look like they are infected or sick. Here is a link to my page about it to help you know how to get any new tank through it much more safely;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

Here are some other links on getting it started, fish choices and caring for your tank and fish after it's through the tough first few weeks;

http://aquariumhobbyist.com/articles/NewAquarium.html

http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin.html

http://www.firsttankguide.net/size.php

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/aquariumstartup/a/newtankmistakes.htm

http://www.firsttankguide.net/steps.php

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/easyfish.htm

http://www.firsttankguide.net/size.php

If all the trouble happened after the 'break-in period' you are probably right and it was simply overcrowded. Overcrowding can easily lead to disease that spreads and kills quickly.

Goldfish and tropical fish should not be mixed. Goldfish are very messy fish that need 10 gallons of tank water just for one because of their potential size of 8 inches or larger. They like cooler water in the upper 60's and tropical fish are "warm" water fish that need their water to be about 75f to 80f.

There have actually been no albino "dwarf" frogs available that I know of. What you may have is an albino African clawed frog. They get very large and will eat your fish, their favorite food. Look at the front feet. If the toes are webbed, you have a dwarf frog and he will stay little. If the front toes look like fingers with no webbing, you have a soon-to-be very big frog on your hands. Here are some web pages with more info;

http://aquaticfrogs.tripod.com/

http://www.pipidae.net/species_determining_adcfacf.php

You could drain out the little tank and rinse all the decorations and gravel out but decide what to do with the frog first. He seems okay for now and may have to be it's only inhabitant for awhile anyway depending on what type he turns out to be. If he's the larger type he will need more room soon too.

That's a lot for you to 'digest' for now so check it all out and get back to me if you need more help...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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